The Vatican has clarified the role of the Pope in the wake of a controversial statement by US Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch. The Holy Father’s “one true mission” is to be a spiritual shepherd who proclaims the Gospel. Any other roles he plays, including his position as a head of state, are in service to this mission and must not be interpreted as superseding it.
The clarification – which did not mention the ambassador directly – came after interviews during which Burch suggested that Pope Leo XIV was speaking as a head of state rather than as a spiritual leader, when he said that the war with Iran is unjust. The implication of this statement was that Pope Leo’s teaching on this issue is only as authoritative as the opinions of other world leaders and Catholics do not need to view them as having spiritual significance.
In contrast, the Vatican News editorial – which, America Magazine confirmed, was approved “at the higher levels in the Vatican” – clearly states that the Pope is head of the Vatican state in order to prevent him being swayed by the influence of a ruling power, but his sole mission is sharing of the Gospel:
When he calls for human life to be respected and protected at every stage of its existence, when he speaks of peace with the good of all peoples in mind and calls for an end to the mad arms race—even going beyond the concept of a ‘just war’—when he calls for dialogue and negotiation by invoking the Magisterium of Social Doctrine, when he calls for migrants to be regarded as people to be welcomed, without ever forgetting their human dignity; when he reminds us that the poor are at the heart of the Gospel and that we must build more just and equitable societies; when he defends the right to religious freedom; when he emphasizes the importance of caring for Creation so that we may pass it on to our children and grandchildren—the Successor of Peter is not speaking as a head of state. He is simply proclaiming the Gospel.
Consequently, Catholics should view the Holy Father’s words as the teachings of the Vicar of Christ and should consider that they bear the weight of such teachings. To do otherwise is, as Msgr. Arthur Holquin wrote, “A grave thing.”
While most of the coverage of the Vatican’s response has focused on its emphasis on the Pope as a spiritual shepherd, the response raised an additional issue that is especially pertinent in today’s world. At a time when Christian nationalism is increasingly embraced, the Vatican reiterated that freedom from state influence is necessary to share the Gospel most effectively. Quoting Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, the Vatican’s response reminded a world that is quick to embrace political power at the expense of Church teaching, that it was only with the collapse of the Papal States in 1870 “that the papacy ‘resumed with unusual vigor its functions as teacher of life and witness to the Gospel.’”
Image: “sheep” (CC BY 2.0) by steve p2008
Ariane Sroubek is a writer, school psychologist and mother to two children here on earth. Prior to converting to Catholicism, she completed undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in School and Child Clinical Psychology. Ariane’s writing is inspired by her faith, daily life experiences and education. She is currently writing a women's fiction novel and a middle-grade mystery series. Her non-fiction book, Raising Sunshine: A Guide to Parenting Through the Aftermath of Infant Death is available on Amazon. More of her work can be found at https://mysustaininggrace.com.
Popular Posts